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<h1 itemprop="headline">Penarth Town Council refuses to change Welsh language policy</h1>
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<img src="http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/resources/images/2900375.jpg?display=1&htype=0&type=mc2" class="" alt="WELSH LANGUAGE ROW: Penarth Welsh Language Society had queried Penarth Town Council's Welsh language policy (12181981)" itemprop="image">
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<p class="">WELSH LANGUAGE ROW: Penarth Welsh Language Society had queried Penarth Town Council's Welsh language policy (12181981) </p>
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First published
<span itemprop="datePublished" class="">09:10 Friday 31 October 2014</span>
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in <a href="http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/news/" itemprop="articleSection">News</a>
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<a href="http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/author/profile/61338/">
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by <a href="http://www.penarthtimes.co.uk/author/profile/61338/" itemprop="author">Chris Seal</a>
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<p>
PENARTH Town Council has refused to change its Welsh language policy
on the grounds that it would not make sound business sense.
</p>
<p>
Councillors argued that as they were awaiting guidance about how to
comply with Welsh language standards it would not make sense to amend
its existing policy in the meantime.
</p>
<p>
A report before the policy and finance committee last night (October
30) said that a number of queries had been received from the Penarth
Welsh Language Society about the town council’s Welsh Language Scheme
over the last few months, and that town clerk Shan Bowden had sought
advice from the Welsh Language Commissioner.
</p>
<p>
The Commissioner confirmed that codes of practical guidance on how to
comply with Welsh language standards are still awaited since the Welsh
Language Measure 2011, but offered a number of amendments to the town
council’s existing scheme.
</p>
<p>
These include: ensuring new policies and initiatives are consistent
with the Welsh Language Scheme, all circular or standard letters to the
public will be bilingual, the Town Clerk will be responsible for
translating correspondence and the Town Council’s official headed paper
will include a statement in both languages making it clear that
correspondence is welcome in either Welsh or English.
</p>
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<p>
Other amendments include advertising that it would be “desirable” for
future applications for the position of Town Clerk or other key
positions to have bilingual skills.
</p>
<p>
Labour councillor Gwyn Roberts, who represents the St Augustine’s
ward, said it did not make “sound business sense” to change the existing
language scheme.
</p>
<p>
“There is a Welsh Language Scheme adopted and complied with, and to
change a long standing scheme with a new scheme coming soon doesn’t make
sound business sense.
</p>
<p>
“Changing it now when we will have to change it again doesn’t seem
sensible. What we should be doing is waiting until we have another
scheme.”
</p>
<p>
Labour Councillor Neil Thomas, who represents the Cornerswell ward,
said that he had supported movements to improve Welsh language in Wales
for many years, but said: “This seems a little premature to implement
this as there’s a new different policy in the offing with the
Commissioner looking at codes of practice.
</p>
<p>
“Maybe we should wait until that comes before moving forward.”
</p>
<p>
He also questioned the cost implications and added: “I think we are
anticipating codes of practice are going to change again soon, so we
should not make life more expensive than it needs to be.”
</p>
<p>
Labour Councillor Tracey Alexander, who represents the St Augustine’s
ward, added that she had children educated in Welsh and said that a task
and finish group should be set up to discuss the matter.
</p>
<p>
Conservative Councillor Anthony Ernest, who represents the Plymouth
ward, added that the amendments stated that the town clerk would be
responsible for translating letters, but “by her own admissions she is
not a Welsh speaker”.
</p>
<p>
He added: “I think we should wait for definitive guidance to come through.”
</p>
<p>
Conservative Councillor Martin Turner, who represents the Plymouth
ward, added that as it had recently been agreed to translate the town
council Christmas Brochure into Welsh it would be useful to see what the
uptake was.
</p>
<p>
Conservative Councillor Clive Williams, who represents the Plymouth
ward, said that the council should be wary about translating legal
documents and other letters into Welsh as “one word wrong and the whole
thing goes to pieces.
</p>
<p>
“When we are spending public money we need to take it all into account.”
</p>
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